Elf Day Classroom Activities

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break are full of excitement and fun activities. Students are full of energy like never before, so classroom activities during this time must be engaging. Themed days are a great way to get into the holiday spirit while continuing to learn. These Elf Day classroom activities are so much fun, but more importantly, engaging and standards-based.

Build excitement first by handing out Elf Day invitations. Give students a unique Elf name using the Elf name poster.

Activities included in this resource are for an entire Elf-themed day in the classroom . Reading, writing, language, math, science, and social studies lessons are included. All the materials can be used for one epic Elf Day or spread out over the course of a week.

Reading

Reading activities are based around an original fable called “The Elf and the Reindeer.” Students will read the fable, practice using context clues, examine character traits and motives, and answer text-based questions. Teacher instructions are included for use.

Writing

Two writing activities are included. An explanatory writing prompt, graphic organizer, and writing paper goes along with the reading fable, “The Elf and the Reindeer.” A “Roll and Write” narrative story poster is included. This works great as an early finisher or learning center activity.

Language

One included language activity is a set of task cards that practice using quotation marks. Student directions poster, task cards, and recording page are included. An elf-themed parts of speech coloring page is included as well. This page works great for morning work, a learning center activity, or when you need a little time-filler between activities.

Math

This math activity is just so fun! Students have been chosen as lead architect of the new elf workshop. They must meet the size requirements of various work stations with their design. Students will identify the area and perimeter of all workstations on their recording page. The finished product makes a for a great display of student work.

Social Studies

The included social studies activities are all about cardinal and intermediate directions. Students will play a fun game called “Searching for Santa.” Game cards direct students to move around the game board using cardinal and intermediate directions. The first person to make it to Santa wins!

Students can also practice cardinal and intermediate directions using their new toy workshop design from the math lesson. Eli SugarMuffin, the head elf, is worried that the new toy workshop is so big that the elves won’t be able to find their way around. Students have the task of creating directions posters to be posted around the workshop.

Science

What is more fun and engaging than a STEM challenge?! The elves have made a special ornament as a gift for kids around the world. Fancy McSugar, Santa’s sleigh helper, plans to drop ornaments from the sleigh down chimneys on Christmas Eve. The ornaments are made of glass though, so Fancy and the other elves need to find a way to slow down the ornaments when they leave the sleigh to prevent them from breaking. Students must design a way to slow down the speed of an ornament as it is dropped from Santa’s sleigh and into a chimney. Directions, planning, and recording pages guide students through the challenge.